BAY CITY, MI — Despite about 2,400 miles separating him from his collaborator, Bay City’s Andy Reed, also known by his performance moniker An American Underdog, is releasing an EP with a like-minded Los Angeles-based songwriter.

The four-song record, dubbed The A/B EP, features two songs by Reed and two by Brandon Schott — “The Show Goes On” and “Good Girl” by the former and “Henry” and “Verdugo Park (Part 2)” by the latter. All four songs were recorded in the summer of 2013.

The EP is released on limited edition 7-inch vinyl and digital download on Tuesday, Dec. 3, via Pop Factory Records, owned by Reed and friend Shawn MacDonald, of 989 Design, 701 E. Midland St. in Bay City. Preorders are available at the release’s official website, www.ab-ep.com.

“I was always a fan of Brandon’s work and the timing was perfect,” Reed said. “We were both starting to work on new records and this seemed like a great way to get the ball rolling.”

The two have yet to meet in person, but that didn’t limit their ability to work together and add elements to each other’s tracks.

“Andy and I met online through mutual friends and instantly hit it off through our shared love of artists like ELO, Elliott Smith and Harry Nilsson,” Schott said. “We were creatively off and running pretty quickly, despite the distance between us. It’s been amazing. There are literally no boundaries now when it comes to geography and the ability to have these kinds of rich musical conversations.”

The two troubadours share a similar aesthetic, both steeped in power-pop and the use of elaborate production flourishes and unconventional instruments, with flashes of John Lennon, Elliott Smith, the Posies and others flaring up throughout the four songs. That said, their styles are readily distinguishable on the new record, both from each other and their influences.

“The Show Goes On” starts somberly, just acoustic strumming and Reed’s plaintive voice, but builds in grandeur like a ‘70s AM radio ballad. “Good Girl,” by contrast, is a subtly creepy slice of psychedelic cabaret with the jaunty rhythm such a description suggests.

Schott’s “Henry,” the EP’s first single, has the feel of Sister Lovers/Third-era Big Star with some Beatles-style experimentation, its lush instrumentation featuring chiming bells, orchestral horns, and sing-along la-la-las. “Verdugo Park (Part 2)” then is built around a harpsichord melody bolstered by a string section.

Reed released his debut full-length album under the An American Underdog banner in 2011. He records his own music and that of others in his Bay City studio, Reed Recording Co.

To celebrate the record’s release, Reed is playing three shows in the area. The first is a web show on www.stageit.com at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17, followed by performances at 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 10, at Electric Kitsch, 917 Washington Ave., and at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, at Old City Hall, 814 Saginaw St. The show at Electric Kitsch is a solo performance, while Reed is to be backed by a full band at the Old City Hall gig.

Both said their creative paths are likely to cross in the future.

“I’m sure we will continue to work together,” Reed said.

“This is hands-down the most invigorating collaboration I’ve ever experienced in my career with someone I’ve never actually met face-to-face,” Schott added. “We both feel like this is just the beginning for us.”